EMT Stabbed, Suspect Arrested

by April Charlton , January 11, 2013

Thomas Kadota

ARROYO GRANDE – A rural Arroyo Grande man was arrested Tuesday night after he called 9-1-1 for medical help for his elderly mother and then stabbed the EMT who was treating the elderly woman.

After a more than five-hour standoff with San Luis Obispo County sheriff’s deputies, Thomas Kadota, 38, was taken into custody for allegedly stabbing the EMT who responded to the 9-1-1 call on Left Lane in rural Arroyo Grande, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The incident started shortly before 10 p.m. when Kadota called 9-1-1 for his ill mother. When Cal Fire and San Luis Ambulance personnel arrived at the home, Kadota became agitated while the EMTs were treating his mother.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, the suspect grabbed a knife from the kitchen and stabbed one of the EMTs in the back. The injured EMT was taken to a local hospital, where they were treated for their non-life threatening injuries and was later released.

Sheriff’s deputies were called to the home after the stabbing and surrounded the residence. It took more than five hours of negotiation before Kadota would leave the home and surrender to deputies.

He was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and was booked at the San Luis Obispo County Jail.

San Luis Obispo Tribune- EMT Stabbed in the Back While Responding to Call in Rural Arroyo Grande

KSBY News- 5 Hours Standoff in Arroyo Grande Ends with One Man in Custody

Santa Maria Times- San Luis Obispo County EMT Stabbed During Call in Rural Arroyo Grande

EMT Stabbed, Suspect Arrested was last modified: January 14th, 2019 by admin

Categories: San Luis Obispo

Tags: arrest, attack, stabbing

About Author

April Charlton

April Charlton is a freelance journalist who specializes in criminal and local government matters. She has more than 11-plus years of experience as a reporter, covering everything from cops and courts to city and county governments. She writes for CrimeVoice and several newspapers on the Central Coast, including the Santa Maria Times, a daily publication, and its sister papers, Times Press Recorder and The Adobe Press. She may be reached at really_dawn@yahoo.com for any comments or suggestions that you may have.